A thing of beauty

Sixty years ago, advertisement guru David Ogilvy coined what is still considered a classic catch line for a car  “At 60 miles an hour, the loudest noise in the new Rolls-Royce comes from the electric clock.” With its  fan-less cooling and packaging, one is tempted to say the same of the latest Microsoft touch laptop “At 60 words a minute, the loudest noise in the new Surface Pro comes from the touch of the pen you use.”

The new Surface Pro doesn’t look or feel too different from the previous (2015) model, but the 7th generation Intel processor under the hood is beefier. The 12.3 inch display remains outstanding at 2736 by 1824 pixels, it is closer to 4K than 2K HD and the twin 1.6 watt Dolby speakers ensure a superior movie experience. The machine is basically a tablet they have provided a kick-stand, but it is awkward to place on one’s lap, which somewhat negates Microsoft’s categorising this as a laptop. Indeed, to make it a laptop, you have to buy the keyboard-cum-cover for an extra Rs 10,000 or so. 

Depending on the configuration, the Surface Pro comes with 4GB to 16GB RAM and 128GB to 512GB of solid state storage (internationally there is a 1TB option). The device is powered by one of three different Intel processors and the final price varies from around Rs 65,000 to Rs 1.83 lakh. The Surface Pro is clearly aimed at an elite customer who doesn’t have to count the money.

Windows 10 Pro is pre-installed; but the Office suite is a trial version only. Buying a full version is essential to unleash the full productivity and potential of the device. This also needs a special pen, that costs an extra Rs 8,000, because you need to use the Paint 3D and One Note within Office to write and draw on the Surface Pro. The machine has found favour with all manner of graphic artists who also install additional tools from Adobe or Autodesk for their needs. Such users  might also go for the ultra light wireless Arc Mouse that costs '6,399. For all its lightness (around 770 grams) and generous screen size, the Surface Pro can keep going for some 13 hours on a full battery.  

I am disappointed to see only one USB port; but otherwise the new Surface Pro is a classy companion for work and play, that will appeal to buyers who are more into performance than price. 

— IndiaTechOnline